Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey was a look into the harsh prehistoric experiment that unleashed an unholy terror upon the DC Universe.
One of Superman’s most iconic and deadliest foes is the monstrous being known as Doomsday. Despite the impact that he would have on Superman, DC Comics and the comic book industry in general, the creature and his ensuing execution of the world’s greatest superhero were all part of a plan to delay Superman’s comic book nuptials. Despite this, Doomsday possesses a little known origin story that explains why a monster that came out of nowhere was determined to kill Superman.
Though “The Death of Superman” was his debut and most well-known story, Doomsday’s actual origin wouldn’t be revealed until two years later. Produced by some of the creators behind Superman’s death, Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding’s Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey was a look into the harsh prehistoric experiment that unleashed the unholy terror upon the DC Universe.
Doomsday was the collaborative creation of creative forces Dan Jurgens, Louise Simonson, Brett Breeding, Jerry Ordway and Roger Stern, concocted to give a very visceral murderer for the Man of Steel. Hyped up to debut at the tail end of Superman: The Man of Steel #17 before appearing in full villainous glory in the following issue. He came to Earth when his containment pod — actually a sort of cosmic casket — landed on the planet after a long journey.
Escaping from his containment, the monster rampaged across America’s heartland before encountering the then current version of the Justice League. Composed of lesser heroes such as Booster Gold and Blue Beetle, this iteration of the team was easily decimated by Doomsday. Noticing ads for a wrestling competition in Metropolis, Doomsday’s almost demonic determination for bloodlust drew him there. Upon facing Superman himself, Doomsday was driven to fight harder than ever, with his violence becoming a physical manifestation of his hatred. It wasn’t explained until two years later, however, what the reason for this unexplained hatred was.
In Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey by Jurgens and Breeding, Doomsday’s tragic origin was finally revealed. In the distant past, a scientist named Bertron created “The Ultimate,” which would eventually become Doomsday, on a prehistoric Krypton. Originally a mere humanoid infant, the child was left on Krypton’s dangerous surface, where it was promptly killed by predators and the elements. DNA samples were retrieved, with the child cloned and the process repeated for decades. This would result in being resistant to extreme elements and able to slaughter its enemies, including Bertron himself.